Month: December 2024

Belgrade, December 31, 2024. Nowadays, the pre-holiday atmosphere is simply unimaginable without visiting shopping centers, and the bustling dynamics that accompany holiday shopping are clearly present in the retail properties of the FORUM brand. We spoke with Tomislav Savić, Retail Segment Director at Marera Properties, at the end of the year.

How did the FORUM brand come about? What is its role and mission in the development of the local community?

The FORUM brand is a concept that combines the experience of great shopping, entertainment, and socializing, with modern and functional retail spaces tailored to the needs of contemporary consumers. Our goal is to offer a variety of amenities – from modern stores and dining facilities to entertainment activities, thus becoming a central meeting point for fun and enjoyment for all visitors.

The FORUM brand is part of the portfolio of Marera Properties, a company involved in investing, acquiring, and developing commercial real estate. Within this brand, there are two properties – Forum Park in Zemun and Forum Shopping Center in Niš.

Forum Shopping Center has been part of Marera’s portfolio since 2018, and since then, we have been dedicated to its development in order to offer the people of Niš and the surrounding area a modern shopping experience and help foster the growth of the local economy. Forum Park Zemun, the first retail park in Belgrade, has been part of our portfolio since 2021 and is now a top destination for family shopping for all Zemun residents.

What are the main advantages that Forum Park and Forum Shopping Center offer tenants to enhance their business operations?

Forum Park covers more than 70,000 m² and offers visitors a wide range of popular brands from various categories, including sports equipment, fashion, home decor, a supermarket, dining establishments, and facilities for children. Thanks to its modern concept, quality offerings, and convenient location just a few kilometers from the center of Zemun, Forum Park stands out as a favorite destination for all generations, providing a unique experience that combines quality and enjoyment.

Forum Shopping Center is a modern commercial building located in the heart of Niš, and it represents an essential shopping destination for residents of the city and its surroundings. It offers visitors a wide assortment of different brands, with goods catering to all categories of consumers.

You are also recognized for your charitable initiatives aimed at helping vulnerable groups in society. What activities have you been involved in?

The FORUM brand strives to be socially responsible and contribute to the creation of an inclusive society. We believe that responsible business is not only about providing a top-notch experience for visitors but also about actively caring for those who need help the most. In this regard, Forum Park regularly hosts blood donation drives in collaboration with the Institute for Blood Transfusion and the Red Cross of Belgrade, under the slogan “You’re worth three when you donate blood.” Through this activity, we aim to raise awareness among visitors about the importance of blood donation and encourage them to become active participants in preserving health and saving lives. Additionally, we support friends from the charity organization “Dečje srce” by organizing sales exhibitions of handmade crafts every last Thursday of the month, where visitors can purchase items made by the organization’s beneficiaries. Another initiative is “Silent Hour,” held every second Tuesday of the month at Forum Shopping Center, during which we dim the sound and light signals for one hour to support people with autism, attention disorders, and other sensory conditions, thus providing them with a more comfortable shopping experience.

In anticipation of the New Year holidays, Forum Shopping Center in Niš will host an exhibition by the Museum of Illusions from Belgrade for the first time. What can visitors expect from this unique exhibit?

For the end of the year, we want to provide everyone visiting Forum Shopping Center with an unforgettable experience and great entertainment, so collaborating with the Museum of Illusions was the perfect opportunity to further enrich the holiday atmosphere. The exhibition will run from December 25 to January 2 and will feature unique museum exhibits and illusionistic attractions themed around the New Year holidays. For the most creative photos shared by visitors on social media, we’ve prepared valuable prizes. We expect this event to become a real attraction in Niš, bringing together both younger and older generations who will enjoy the unique combination of fun, art, and illusion.

What are your plans for the future in terms of new projects, and how will they contribute to the further development of your portfolio?

In the upcoming year, we plan to expand the existing capacity of Forum Park in the second phase by building an additional 8,000 m² of business space. This will further enrich the offering and allow for new brands to join, creating new jobs. Another investment we are planning for 2025 is the installation of a solar power plant at Forum Park. This ecological initiative is part of Marera Group’s strategy, within which the FORUM brand operates, aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and achieving CO2-neutral status for the entire group by 2028.

Belgrade, December 31, 2024. While business space construction in Belgrade is primarily reserved for New Belgrade, Marera Properties, part of Marera Investment Group, stands out with its pioneering approach to the revitalization of buildings in the city center. In a conversation with Bojan Ljubičić, Portfolio Director at Marera Properties, we uncover how they began their business journey, why they believe in the power of brownfield investments, and how they successfully merge contemporary needs with the preservation of cultural and historical heritage.

• How did you start with brownfield projects?

Recognizing the imbalance between the concentration of business spaces in New Belgrade and the need for modern facilities in the city’s historic core, we developed a strategy focused on brownfield investments. Our vision from the outset was to identify and leverage the potential of the city center, where two-thirds of the population lives, through a unique business model that combines the revitalization of unused spaces, primarily B and C class, and their transformation into modern A-class buildings. This model not only allows us to meet market demands but also creates sustainable development by revitalizing neglected locations. Our goal is not just to restore spaces but to create new value for the community and users, helping urban development while preserving the city’s identity.

• What are the advantages and challenges of revitalizing old buildings compared to new construction?

Restoring old and abandoned buildings is an ambitious undertaking fraught with numerous challenges: preserving the architectural value of the structure, reducing urban planning pressure, applying the latest technologies in buildings that are nearly 100 years old, fighting for new green spaces, and many others. However, the end result is well worth the effort and investment – revitalized buildings once again become vibrant parts of the city’s social and business life. Additionally, we have followed the global trend of the “15-minute city,” which emphasizes proximity and easy access to restaurants, shops, cultural, sports, and other urban amenities that are part of city life and represent a huge advantage for all our tenants. One of the greatest challenges of this process, however, is the limited freedom in shaping the space. Restoration requires adapting existing buildings to modern standards while maintaining their original dimensions and characteristics, which requires careful planning, adherence to legal norms, and innovative solutions.

• Marera Properties’ portfolio is very unique, thanks to the buildings it consists of. What does a successful renovation mean to you?

Since 2017, we have revitalized 100,000 m² of business space in the heart of Belgrade, transforming it into modern A-class buildings. We are proud of projects such as Bulevar 28, Bulevar 79, and M44, which have improved their surroundings and won prestigious awards from the city of Belgrade and architectural associations. Kalemegdan Business Center, with its stunning neoclassical architecture, has become the cornerstone of the business life in Lower Kalemegdan. The redesigned facades of these buildings preserve the spirit of past times, while the interiors are fully aligned with modern technical and technological standards, with a design approach that emphasizes their cultural and historical significance. These redefined spaces attract many companies that see them as the ideal environment for business success.

• What does it mean for your company to own one of the most recognizable symbols of the capital, the Belgrade Palace, which this year marks its 50th anniversary? How did you approach its renovation?

The Belgrade Palace is not just a business building; it is a symbol of cultural and historical heritage and an integral part of the urban identity of the capital. Over time, its shine began to fade, but for us, owning such a building is both an honor and a responsibility. We approached its renovation with exceptional care and dedication, aiming to transform it into a modern business space while preserving its authentic architectural value. This is also the largest investment in the Belgrade Palace since its construction. Today, it serves as a contemporary business center, the headquarters of domestic and international companies that recognize the value of operating in a space that successfully blends tradition with modern standards.

Belgrade, December 31, 2024. Industrial parks, also known as industrial zones or business parks, represent a modern urban and organizational form of concentration for industrial and other facilities in a designated area. These are parts of urban space intended for industrial production, equipped with shared infrastructure such as roads, railways, gas pipelines, water supply, sewage, and telecommunications. This organization enables more efficient business operations for companies within the park, reducing costs and facilitating logistics. According to data from the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia from November 2020, the most common users of industrial parks are small and micro businesses, due to the cost-saving benefits, proximity to various infrastructure facilities, and the ability to easily expand or reduce space dedicated to their operations.

Industrial Park Pobeda is located in Petrovaradin, just 3 km away from Novi Sad. Since 2020, it has been owned by Marera Properties, which has invested over two million euros in its complete reconstruction, transforming the old and neglected “Pobeda” factory into a modern platform for small and medium-sized enterprises. Today, 47 companies operate within the Industrial Park Pobeda, mostly in the manufacturing and logistics sectors. To discuss the key advantages of doing business at this prestigious location, the benefits for tenants, and future development plans, we spoke with Mile Štrbac, the director of the industrial segment at Marera Properties, one of the leading investors in commercial real estate, with a portfolio of business, retail, and industrial properties worth more than 165 million euros.

• Industrial Park Pobeda offers a range of logistical, production, warehouse, and office capacities. What additional benefits does this business complex offer to current and future tenants?

Industrial Park Pobeda covers a total area of 38 hectares and currently has 110,000 m² of production capacities, with 17 hectares of land designated for the construction of new buildings. Key advantages include a large number of production halls tailored to individual businesses, connectivity to all major transportation routes, including the Corridor 10 railway passing through the park, the road Corridor 10, and the E-75 highway, which significantly eases goods transport. The park’s geographical location also allows for easy access to European cities, contributing to efficient networking and business collaboration. Furthermore, Industrial Park Pobeda functions as a kind of industrial hub, bringing together various businesses into a micro-community, which facilitates communication, strategic partnerships, resource sharing, and access to markets and innovations. The fact that the largest city in Vojvodina is just 3 km away allows many companies to easily find labor and communicate with various institutions.

• What advantages does operating within the Novi Sad Free Zone bring to companies in Industrial Park Pobeda?

In 2022, the Ministry of Finance issued a decision for Industrial Park Pobeda to start operating within the Novi Sad Free Zone. This offers significant advantages and savings for both current and future tenants. First, there are additional conditions for new investments, job creation, and tax incentives for export-oriented companies, which positively impact the further development of their businesses.

• In May 2023, Marera Properties donated a refurbished hall to the Red Cross of Novi Sad for a ten-year period, valued at one million euros. What significance does this gesture have for the local community? Do you think similar projects could inspire and encourage other companies to follow your example?

Our collaboration with the Red Cross is part of the company’s strategic vision to improve the development of the local community through socially responsible activities and help address key societal challenges and needs. We believe that such projects not only assist those in greatest need but also contribute to the advancement of society as a whole. Therefore, we encourage other companies that recognize the importance of social responsibility to engage in similar initiatives. When it comes to the results of our collaboration with the Red Cross, they have been more than successful. In its second year of operation, the Novi Sad Red Cross Distribution Center secured and distributed goods worth over 1.5 million euros across Novi Sad, Vojvodina, and other parts of Serbia. We believe that such impressive results will continue in the years to come, given the strategic position of Pobeda, its rich infrastructure, and its ability to effectively distribute aid to the most vulnerable sectors of society.

• Are there plans for expanding the park’s capacities in the future?

In the coming year, we will enter a new phase of operations, which will include the construction of new capacities. Our goal is to complete the construction of 110,000 m² of new halls over the next few years, designed to the highest industrial standards, which will meet the needs of different businesses, bringing the park’s total capacity to almost 200,000 m². Our ambition is to provide an optimal working environment that supports high productivity levels and to improve the competitive position of Industrial Park Pobeda as a key hub for launching and managing production in this part of Serbia.